After the death of his employer forces him out of the only home he's ever known, a simpleminded, sheltered gardener becomes an unlikely trusted advisor to a powerful tycoon and an insider in... Read allAfter the death of his employer forces him out of the only home he's ever known, a simpleminded, sheltered gardener becomes an unlikely trusted advisor to a powerful tycoon and an insider in Washington politics.After the death of his employer forces him out of the only home he's ever known, a simpleminded, sheltered gardener becomes an unlikely trusted advisor to a powerful tycoon and an insider in Washington politics.
- Won 1 Oscar
- 14 wins & 15 nominations total
David Clennon
- Thomas Franklin
- (as Dave Clennon)
Alfie Brown
- Old Woman asked for lunch
- (as Alfredine Brown)
Ernest McClure
- Jeffrey
- (as Ernest M. McClure)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaIt took Peter Sellers nearly nine years to get this movie made by a studio, mainly because by the 1970s Sellers' career had hit rock bottom and no studio in Hollywood would work with him. After the revival (and success) of the Pink Panther movies, Lorimar Pictures finally greenlit the project.
- GoofsWhile at dinner for the first evening with Ben and Eve, Chauncey's wine glass fills and empties within seconds.
- Quotes
[last lines]
President "Bobby": Life is a state of mind.
- Crazy creditsUnder the end titles of the theatrical release are outtakes of Peter Sellers as Chance recounting the encounter with Abbaz. Sellers breaks character and laughs during each attempt. The lines do not appear in the movie. Certain versions of the film have credits with white text on a black background without the outtakes.
- Alternate versionsIn different versions, the credits are either shown over retakes of Chance saying a line that was not in the movie, or (for TV and video) shown over TV white noise.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The 37th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1980)
- SoundtracksBasketball Jones Featuring Tyrone Shoelaces
Written and Performed by Cheech Marin (as Cheech) & Tommy Chong (as Chong)
Band: George Harrison (lead guitar), Carole King
(piano/background vocals), Billy Preston (keyboards) and Tom Scott (saxophone)
Background vocals (cheerleaders): Darlene Love and Michelle Phillips
Featured review
A well-kept secret
This film is an absolute jewel. The main character, played by Peter Sellers, is the exact opposite of the film itself. Chauncey/Chance is simple, vapid, unconcerned and utterly unselfconscious, yet he radiates an image of being ponderous, calculating, and complex. The film is deceptively straightforward and uncomplicated on the surface, but is rich and complex upon reflection. The film is very enigmatic (even the title seems to make no sense, even though it seems like it should) and lends itself to interpretation. This is one of those films that you have to talk about after seeing it, and you'll find endless points of view to consider. More than that, however, this film is historically fascinating. Taken as a whole, the movie, the book, the behind the scenes intrigue, the place it holds in the careers of the Stars, the writers and the directors, makes this an exceptionally interesting and enjoyable film.
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Willkommen, Mr. Chance
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $30,177,511
- Gross worldwide
- $30,179,435
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